Preview: England vs Australia

Australia claim to be underdogs, for whatever that epithet may be worth, but it is England who are under grave pressure. Potential elimination of the hosts from the World Cup is a threat of mammoth proportions for Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team, Chris Robshaw and his fellow players, for the Rugby Football Union, and for every England supporter. The effect on RWC 2015 of the hosts failing to make the quarter-finals cannot be measured in advance, but would most likely be substantial.

England’s confidence cannot be high after appearing set for victory against Wales and then suffering miserable defeat. Australia beat Fiji without impressing unduly but without too much fuss and then thrashed Uruguay. They’ve been cruising at RWC after their Rugby Championship triumph, but Twickenham provides huge challenges with Wales up next after England.

The pool of death will be a pool of misery for one of England or Wales or Australia, and for England especially, this game could be decisive in the careers of both players and coaches.

Scrummaging will be crucial. Last year England smashed the Wallaby scrum at Twickenham – causing what was disparagingly referred to as ‘disintegration’ of the Wallaby scrum – and will hope to do so again. Scrum coach Mario Ledesma has worked hard at improving the Wallaby scrummaging and this England pack will provide the big test for the success of his endeavour.

The breakdown contest could be a major factor in determining the result, with the Wallaby breakdown onslaught led by the specialist openside duo of David Pocock and Michael Hooper and England’s by Chris Robshaw, with neither Tom Woods nor Ben Morgan adept at that role. The question to be answered is whether Robshaw has the pace and skills – as Pocock and Hooper certainly do – to be an effective top-flight Test openside.

Among other important areas will be how Israel Folau deals with England’s penchant for kicking high ball, and how Bernard Foley’s goal-kicking accuracy measures up.

Key players:
For Australia, Pocock, Hooper, the scrummaging pack, and 9 and 10 Will Genia and Bernard Foley. For England, Robshaw as player and captain, the scrummaging pack, and at 9 and 10 Ben Youngs and Owen Farrell.

The big match-ups:
Pocock and Hooper in tandem vs Robshaw. The front rows – Scott Sio, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu vs Joe Marler, Tom Youngs, Dan Cole. Goal-kickers Foley and Farrell.